To play the lead role in War Horse Stephen Spielberg has chosen Jeremy Irvine, an actor so new to movies there’s apparently only one photo of him in all the world wide web. THR lists the rest of the cast:
Emily Watson and Peter Mullan are playing Albert’s parents; Benedict Cumberbatch is playing World War I soldier Major Stewart; and David Thewlis will play Lyons. Tom Hiddleston and Stephen Graham are also in talks to come aboard as two more military officers.
Niels Arestrup, Celine Buckens, Nicolas Bro, David Kross, Leonard Carow, Rainer Bock, Robert Emms and Patrick Kennedy have also been cast.
Lee Hall and Richard Curtis have adapted the script from the Michael Morpurgo novel and Nick Stafford’s ensuing stage adaptation. ”War Horse” starts shooting in the U.K. at the end of the summer for an Aug. 10, 2011, release date.